Traditionally, customer databases are associated with data storage, but over the past 10 years they have become multifunctional tools for leveraging your contacts smartly, allowing not only to keep all the details in one place but also to track numerous interactions related to each customer. Another popular trend of the later years is switching to customer database software on cloud platforms. Numerous modern solutions enable monetizing your data with functional business optimization tools and bring your business to another grade of performance.

Building a customer database is an essential part of successful communications leading to deals and it is extremely important to find the right solution to fit your business. Here you find a list of the most popular cloud databases suitable for the needs of medium-sized businesses.

Top 10 Web-Based Customer Database Solutions

bpm’online CRM is a perfect tool for customer database management. bpm’online offers 3 in 1 solution including Marketing, Sales and Customer Service. Communicating with a customer, you can see all the history of operations in the client profile from phone calls to invoices and payments. Smart data enrichment allows you to stay up-to-date 24/7.

Infor CRM offers both mobile version and office tools for simultaneous access with the possibility of instant updates without additional efforts; includes both track keeping and analytic tools. Adaptable interface features an easy customization and meets clients’ specific requirements.

Microsoft Dynamics is customer database software offering both online and offline access cloud platform available as the desktop version, easy to use and well integrated with all kinds of Microsoft Software. Microsoft Dynamics includes automation tools and is highly automated. With its complex structure, the solution suits best for mid-sized and large businesses.

Oracle+NetSuite OneWorld is more than customer data managing but a multifunctional financial planning system. The product includes a set of hierarchical dashboards unwinding the entire lifecycle of customer relations. Additionally to traditional customer service features, NetSuite offers elaborated e-commerce capabilities.

Pipedrive is good in organizing sales activities and tracking the traces, although it offers fewer analytic tools and less integrated features than the most vendors in the list, which can be compensated with affordable price. The product offers an attractive interface, simple navigation and an easy customization.

ProsperWorks CRM is a simple visual tool for automation of sales processes in any industry, allowing for managing sales processes with simple drag-and-drop tools. It features seamless e-mail integration, opportunity management and sales force tools. It simplifies practical work and helps organize a work of a sales team.

Sage CRM is a tool meant for integration with Sage business management products that offer a customer profile database with the capability to manage leads and campaigns, optimize e-mailing, contacts and sales operation. With easy customization, Sage gives practical solutions to any industry. Both online and on-premise versions are available.

Salesforce Sales is a pioneer in the market of cloud based CRM, which presents traditional sales force CRM with the focus on business’s sales. The latest Lightning editions offer more customization to facilitate personalized customer experience. Updates include built-in case management, social networking features and a process builder.

SugarCRM is affordable small and medium-sized business solution with a potential for deeper integration with an already existing customer database. Responsible interface and modeling with drag-and-drop tools make the platform attractive for users. With the focus on processes optimization Sugar offers such three products as Marketing, Sales and Customer Service on a single platform.

Zoho CRM is one of the most popular cloud based platforms for small businesses, but it also meets the requirements of medium-sized organizations if you consider a Professional version. Simple design with integrated dashboards makes it possible to monitor sales processes, as well as it includes the tools for marketing automation, while numerous add-on applications allow for extending the product without overpricing.

Tips on Creating Your Customer Database

After viewing the possible options of customer database software, you should take your time to evaluate what you can have versus what you really need. The best option is the one meeting all your requirements and expectations. When choosing software for building your customers database, consider the things below.

What data you want to capture and how this function is realized in the software.

How you currently keep your data and how you are going to export it into a new database. Is it compatible? Can you integrate it easily with your e-mail and phone system?

Look into the future. How are you going to use the data? What kind of reports do you want to get? What kind of activities do you wish to track? Does database, you evaluate, have the abilities required?

Check the software pricing thoroughly. It is extremely important to understand what is included to into the price and what surcharges you may pay on top.

Is it difficult to learn customer database, you are inclined to choose? Most often, enterprises are not able to use their database efficiently because they do know how to use them and many valuable features remain unused. The problem may be both on the side of a user and on the side of a software developer when the product is too complex to start using without much training.

Check how the support works. It is important to have a quick response.

Is free trial possible? It is extremely important to check the product’s suitability to the special requirements of your business before its actual purchase.

Customer database software can benefit your business significantly if you choose the right one and use it wisely. Time of spreadsheets has passed over. More and more enterprises today prefer cloud customer databases for managing their data.